Skip to main content

Undergraduate Primary School Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Using ICT in Biology Courses

  • Conference paper
  • 700 Accesses

Abstract

The impact of ICT on human life has been steadily increasing, including in the field of biology education. The aim of this study was to determine the primary school teachers’ attitudes toward using ICT for teaching biology. The research sample consisted of 150 primary school teachers who are studying the subject of biology in their undergraduate studies at one of the educational institutions in Malaysia. The Information and Communication Technology Attitudes Questionnaire (IAQ) comprising 28 items was used as a data collection tool. Cronbach’s alpha for the scale was calculated to be 0.87. The data analyses were made by t-test and ANOVA. The results of teachers’ attitudes were divided into five categories: positive influence of ICT, negative influence of ICT, advantages of ICT, disadvantages of ICT and ICT used in biology courses. Overall, the primary school teachers have positive attitudes toward using ICT for teaching biology. Moreover, their attitudes did not differ between ages, but differed between gender and courses. These results have implications for biology lecturers, especially in the areas of teaching different genders and courses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ajayi, I. A., & Ojo, F. F. (2010). Information and communication technology: A catalyst for democratized system of government. South-West Journal of Teacher Education, 3, 692–708.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bahar, I. (2013). Annual report, FY13 department of computational and systems biology. School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, V. A., & Chambers, S. M. (1989). Gender-based factors in computing enrolment and achievement: evidence from a study of tertiary students. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 5(4), 409–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Çömlekçioğlu, U., ve Bayraktaroğlu, E. (2001). Biyoloji ve Bilişim Teknolojileri. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Fen ve Mühendislik Dergisi, 4(1).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawodu, R. A., & Macgregor-Odusanya, O. O. (2010). Information and communication technology: A new approach in vocational and technical education in a democratized Nigeria. South-West Journal of Teacher Education, 3, 709–718.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dorup, J. (2004). Experience and attitudes towards information technology among first-year medical students in Denmark: Longitudinal questionnaire survey. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 6(1).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fanni, F., Rega, I., & Cantoni, L. (2013). Using self-efficacy to measure primary school teachers’ perception of ICT: Results from two studies. International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology (IJEDICT), 9(1), 100–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haunsel, P. B., & Hill, R. S. (1989). The microcomputer and achievement and attitudes in high school biology. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 26(6), 543–549.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia. (2007). Kad Laporan Pelaksanaan Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan 2006–2010. Kuala Lumpur: Percetakan Nasional.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, S. T. (1991). Lever and fulcrum: Educational technology in teachers’ thought and practice. Teachers College Record, 93(1), 114–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kılıç, D., ve Sağlam, N. (2004). Biyoloji Eğitiminde Kavram Haritalarının Öğrenme Başarısına ve Kalıcılığına Etkisi. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 27, 155–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobiatko, M., & Halakova, Z. (2009). Slovak high school students’ attitudes to ICT using in biology lesson. Computers in Human Behavior, 25, 743–748.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kubiatko, M., Yilmaz, H., & Haláková, Z. (2012). The attitudes of Slovakian and Turkish high school students to the ICT used in biology according to gender and age differences. Energy Education Science and Technology Part B: Social and Educational Studies, 4(1), 433–446.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuddus, R. H. (2013). Who should change biology education: An analysis of the final report on the vision and change in undergraduate biology education conference. International Journal of Biology Education, 3(1), 63–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lai, C. (2014). Attitudinal study of user and non-user teachers’ towards ICT in relation to their school teaching subjects. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 2(3), 213–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahmud, R., & Ismail, M. A. (2010). Impact of training and experience in using ICT on in-service teachers’ basic ICT literacy. Malaysian Journal of Educational Technology, 10(2), 5–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mumtaz, S. (2000). Factors affecting teachers’ use of information and communications technology: A review of the literature. Journal of Information Technology for Teacher Education, 9(3), 319–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Academy of Sciences. (2009). A new biology for the 21st century. Washington, DC: The National Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, J., & Hennessy, S. (2001). Literature review in science education and the role of ICT: Promise, problems and future directions: A report for NESTA Futurelab. Available from http://www.nestafuturelab.org/research/reviews/se01.htm

  • Papadouris, N., & Constantinou, C. P. (2008). A methodology for integrating computer-based learning tools in science curricula. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 41(4), 521–538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Potyrala, K. (2003). Computer-aided genetics teaching. In C. P. Constantinou & Z. C. Zacharia (Eds.), Computer based learning in science, vol. I: New technologies and their applications in education; Nicosia Stabile, C. (1994). Feminism and the technological fix. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidin, R., & Mohamad, N. S. (2007). ICT in education: Prospect and challenges. Journal of Malaysia Education, 32, 139–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teague, J., Wilss, L., & Clarke, V. (1996). Women and computing: Some cultural perceptions and differences. Australian Educational Computing, 11(2), 34–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO. (2006). Using ICT to develop literacy (pp. 18–21). Bangkok: UNESCO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, J. (1994). Gendered lives: Communication, gender, and culture. Belmont: Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zulkefli Daud .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this paper

Cite this paper

Daud, Z., Daud, N., Ari, Z. (2015). Undergraduate Primary School Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Using ICT in Biology Courses. In: Gnanamalar Sarojini Daniel, E. (eds) Biology Education and Research in a Changing Planet. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-524-2_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics